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Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

I'm doing a storygame, more of a story than a game, really. I want it to follow a plot, but how do I incorporate choices into that?

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

So you want it to just flip page to page?

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

Not exactly. I want it to have a real plot, not a create-a-plot-as-you-go thing. But I don't know how to put choices into that, and have the choices affect the story.

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

Oh, this will be complicated. It's hard to explain, since I can't keep up with my own pages XD
 

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

Create a linear story, finish that, and THEN branch off later?  I need some clarification as to what you want...

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

I want the choices to have an effect, but I want it to still have an overall plot.

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

...um...what do you mean by overall plot?  You mean one singular plot?

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

You can have an overall plot if you branch, you just seem to want a linear plot, and that's... Generally frowned upon around here.

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

Well you can always do fake choices where you provide choices that give some differences, but the overall plot doesn't change.

How superficial or deep these differences are going to be depend on how you're going to go about them. (Bioware and Tell Tale games, for example)

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago
You don't. That's called a normal story.

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

You could have choices that don't change the direction of the story, but maybe change the attitude of the characters within the story (eg. someone dies, someone hates/loves you now).

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

I'm trying to understand this. You want an over all plot which will be consistent, in and of itself, but you want the reader to be allowed to make choices within that plot. Let's ... try an example:

Plot: You are a scientist who has recently discovered and announced that the world is about to end from a giant comet smacking into the earth. You now have 24 hours to live.

Choices: Party with friends until you die ... find love / get laid ... try to get drunk off your ass ... go on a killing spree, exc.

The fact that the comet is hurling towards earth isn't going to change and the amount of time you have isn't going to change, nor is the fact that you are a scientist and that people around you are understandably freaking out. But you get to decide how to spend your time during that period and it will effect your personal ending. Does that sound like what you're trying to do or am I wrong?

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

But that's just...a regular CYOA? Nothing they'd need to ask for advice on, I don't think.

Honestly I'm not even sure I'm understanding what the OP is even asking. The way it's phrased it's like 'how do I make a story that gives the player choices that have an effect except the choices don't have an effect?'

Want the story to go in a straight line...

10 years ago

Just add some puzzles and free exploration bits.